Match day pub guide

Words and music by Dave Jordan

Fratton Park
Frogmore Road, Milton
Getting there: Just look out for the floodlight pylons - I'm sure you'll find it.
Prices: Expensive.
Beers: Tetleys Bitter or Carlsberg Lager served from a can in a plastic "glass".
Attractions: You're actually in the ground so you won't miss the start of the match.
General - N.B. - Home fans only. Presumably the licensing justices think that only Pompey fans can be trusted with alcohol and travelling fans are safer searching the environs for a pub somewhere. The license permits the sale of certain beers but not others on match days. Sales of alcohol are permitted before the match, at half time and again after the final whistle. This is the most inhospitable drink you'll find in Portsmouth, but at least the club is trying to provide the service. If you think things can only get better, there were no sales of alcohol permitted at Fratton Park during the previous 15 seasons.

The White House
Milton Road, Milton
Getting there: On the corner of Milton Road and Goldsmith Avenue, this is such a conspicuous pub there is a bus stop named after it.
Prices: About average, watch out for various promotions.
Beers: Flowers, Boddingtons, HSB, Whitbread Best.
Attractions: Juke box, satellite tv, piano, large garden and family area, pool and darts in separate games room, Dodger Long the licensee.
General: This pub has a large lounge bar, comfortably furnished, (not too new, not too old at Nov 95) and is an agreeable, but not outstanding place to go for a drink. Lunchtime food represents good value - steaks, dish of the day, assorted pub grub and sandwiches. Dodger was a bit of a character in his previous life in the RN, hence loads of weekday evening activities, quiz nights, discos etc. Busy before Pompey home matches, when it's best to wear blue, but otherwise a friendly pub. Students welcome. Almost recommended.

The Shepherd's Crook
Goldsmith Avenue, Southsea
Getting there: On the corner of Goldsmith Avenue and Winter Road, opposite Milton Park.
Prices: About average.
Beers: Draught Boddingtons, Flowers Original - rather nice!
Attractions: Pool, darts.
General: Used to be a locals' pub, but apparently gaining passing trade. It's likely to be pretty quiet, except when Pompey are playing when it's chockers with a mix of home fans and visiting fans, many of whom spill out onto the pavement (weather permitting). It can sometimes get a bit 'naughty' at times when the visiting fans have been a bit too raucous. Outside, this is a rather attractive and slightly unusual terracotta coloured pub designed and built by Arthur Cogswell for United Brewery in 1914 - unusual because the house style for United pubs was green glazed brick and because it replaced the beerhouse of the same name across the road. Inside, the decor's pretty unusual too - there are sacks all over the ceilings - but it generally feels a comfortable pub to be in, even on match days. I would imagine weekend evenings are good fun.

The Devonshire Arms
Devonshire Avenue, Southsea
Getting there: On the corner of Devonshire Avenue and Haslemere Road, about quarter of a mile due south of Fratton Park.
Prices: About average.
Beers: 6X, Flowers Original
Attractions: Pool, darts.
General: Built in 1906 to a design by J J Cotton, who was the resident architect for Long's Brewery, this is an interesting pub from the outside. It was built as, and still is, a locals' pub, hence it's generally pretty quiet, except when Pompey are playing, but even then it's still quite comfortable - there's a reasonable chance of getting a seat and a table. I think this pub is recommended for visiting football fans, usually cilvilised ones who are mates with Pompey fans. There is a separate lounge bar, which you can have exclusive use of free of charge if you're thinking of putting on a function of any kind. The beer here is expertly kept, so I had rather a lot of it on my last visit, hence perhaps a little lack of clarity and detail! My overall impression, though, was of a pub I'd like to go to again.

The Milton Arms
Milton Road, Milton
Getting there: On the corner of Milton Road and Priory Crescent, about 100 yds south of the Velder Avenue roundabout.
Prices: About average.
Beers: 6X.
Attractions: Pool, darts.
General: Definitely a locals' pub. It always seems pretty quiet to me, except when Pompey are playing when it's chockers with home fans, and mainly the harder element, at that. A room at the back, The Barn, is available for private functions. On days when travelling fans may be a bit frisky, only the Barn is opened, only to home fans. This is not the most welcoming of pubs I've ever been in and I would suggest you try The Brewers, just across the road. The beer's better. Definitely not recommended for visiting football fans, although I have seen one or two brave ones in there.

The Travellers Joy
Milton Road, Milton
Getting: there On the corner of Milton Road and Warren Avenue, about 100 yds south of the Velder Avenue roundabout.
Prices: A little below average.
Beers: Burton, Flowers, Ind Coope Dark Mild, some bottles inc Newcastle Brown.
Attractions: Pool, darts.
General: Pretty much a locals' pub. When I visited at 8.30 on a Wednesday evening it was deserted except for a pool match and me. The medium size public bar at the front is drab and devoid of any character. The larger bar at the back was being redecorated hence the highlight of the visit was eavesdropping a discussion of curtain fabrics. The Brewers is just across the road; I suggest you go there instead. Any customers welcome.

The Brewers Arms
Milton Road, Milton
Getting there: Virtually on the corner of Milton Road and Priory Crescent.
Prices: Average.
Beers: This is a Gales house hence the beer is all good. It's also very well looked after. The HSB is especially recommended, but not for the faint-hearted.
Attractions: Pool, darts, pinball.
General: Well supported but seldom too busy. This is one of the very best pubs in Portsmouth if you just want a drink and a chat with friends. In winter, beers are poured straight from barrels on the bar. Mainly a locals' pub, but it gets pretty busy just before Pompey matches. Students and visiting supporters welcome (it's that friendly). Recommended.

The Pickwick
Milton Road, Milton
Getting there: Next to the Texaco garage, about 50 yards south of Velder Avenue roundabout.
Prices: Average.
Beers: Courage Best, John Smiths, Beamish, Guinness, lagers.
Attractions: Decor, atmosphere.
General: This is a large pub with plenty to look at if you get bored. There is a Restaurant offering a good selection of food, which I gather is fairly reasonable value. As the name suggests, the theme here is definitely victoriana, with old piccies on the walls and odd memorabilia. Look out for the bike on the ceiling. It gets absolutely packed just before Pompey matches. Students and visiting supporters welcome. Recommended for away fans to meet up for a drink and/or eats before the match.

The Good Companion
Eastern Road, Milton
Getting there: On the corner of Eastern Road and Moorings Way by the traffic lights at the southern end of the Eastern Road. From Milton Road, turn into Velder Avenue, (by the cemetery) and you'll see it 200yds in front of you.
Prices: Average.
Beers: Pompey Royal, Boddingtons, Flowers, Murphy's, Guinness.
Attractions: Pool,darts, juke box & satellite tv in the public bar.
General: Conspicuous late 1930s pub on one of the three main roads into Portsmouth. This place is huge, so it never seems too busy. There is a large lounge bar, very smart, with good range of food, main meals and various steaks. Also provides Sunday lunch (on Sunday of course). There is also a large family area and a children's play zone (free!). Clearly going for the family daytime trade. The public bar is not quite so big (but still big) and caters for the locals. Students welcome.

The Fawcett Inn
Fawcett Road, Southsea
Getting there: At the junction of Fawcett Road and Lawrence Road, about 400 yds north of Albert Road traffic lights.
Prices: About average.
Beers: Flowers, Strong Country, Guinness, Murphy's. Good range of bottles.
Attractions: Pinball, quiz machines, pool, darts, table footy, big screen tv, juke box, quiz night Sundays.
General: This is the pub with the funniest name in the country. (Even funnier than the Halfway Inn.) It's a big and conspicuous black & white pub conveniently positioned between Fratton Station and Southsea for those who can't walk that far without stopping off for a drink, it's also well placed for after-the-match refreshments on the way back from Fratton Park. This pub has a strong regular trade as well as passers by. Like so many others, it was knocked through into one bar some years ago and is now looking very tatty.
I have to tell you that when I was last in there, one of the bar staff turned off the cricket, which I'm not at all interested in, and put on Eastenders. I couldn't sup up quickly enough and have no immediate plans to return. Pub TVs, if fitted, are for customers to watch sports, not for staff or even licensees to keep up with soaps. Update I did go back to check out the refurbishment. Needless to say it's no longer tatty but it is pretty much the same old pub. More redecoration than refurbishment, I would say.

The Rutland Arms
Francis Avenue, Southsea
Getting there: At the junction of Francis Avenue and Manners Road, about 400 yds north of Albert Road, or 300 yards south of Goldsmith Avenue.
Prices: Above average to rather expensive.
Beers: Bass, Wadworth's 6X, Everards Tiger, Boddingtons Gold. Good range of bottles.
Attractions: Satellite tv, juke box, decor, atmosphere.
General: This is another Arthur Cogswell pub that's been knocked through into one large(ish) bar. In this case it makes it a rather curious sort of U-shape, but the outcome is that if you go right round the corner (or round the bend?) it's not unlike an old-style lounge bar. Loads of old piccies complement the many original Victorian features that were left in the knock-through, making this an altogether quite pleasant little boozer. It's also quite conveniently placed near Fratton Park for a pre-match and/or after-match drink. Big with students in term time, it is indeed the very pub in which I nearly succumbed to alcohol poisoning when I completed my own finals some years ago.

The Nell Gwynne
Jesse Road, Southsea
Getting there: At the junction of Talbot Road and Jesse Road, about 200 yds east of Fawcett Road, or 300 yards south of Goldsmith Avenue.
Prices:
Beers:
Attractions:
General: Not yet visited

The Newcome
Newcome Road, Fratton
Getting there: At the junction of Newcome Road and Samuel Road. Turn off Fratton Road at the Electric Arms and keep going along Newcome Road, across Guildford Road, until you come to the Newcome on your left. To get to Fratton Park, carry on along Newcome Road, turn left at the end into Byerley Road then first right; cross the footbridge over the railway line and keep going to the end of the alley (about 1/2 mile in all).
Prices: Average.
Beers: Whitbread Best, Worthington Cream Flow, Caffreys. They also had some real ale pumps but none working on my visit.
Attractions: Darts, Juke box
General: This is a Victorian working class residential area pub that's been knocked through and done out with reproduction timbers and carpets. Fairly quiet most of the time as it's out of the way and definitely a local. On Pompey matchdays it fills up with Pompey fans and is the pre-match haunt of John Westwood and his crew. (He's the guy at every Pompey match with the bugle and bell.) It's still a family pub though, with children allowed in part of the bar. There are some old Pompey photos and other memorabilia scattered around and a small collection of footie shirts pinned to the ceiling. Its main attraction is its proximity to Fratton Park via the alley across the north of the goodsyard (generally known as "Dogshit Alley" but I think its formally known as Milton Lane).

The Connaught Arms
Penhale Road, Fratton
Getting there: At the junction of Penhale Road and Guildford Road, about 200 yds east of Fratton Road. To get to Fratton Park, carry on along Penhale Road, turn left at the end into Rennie Road then right at the end into Newcome Road; turn left at the end into Byerley Road then first right; cross the footbridge over the railway line and keep going to the end of the alley (just over 1/2 mile in all).
Prices: Slightly above average.
Beers: A good and varying selection, eg London Pride, Ringwood Fortyniner, Hopkins Summer Lightning, Pots Ale, also Whitbread Best and Boddingtons and a good range of bottles.
Attractions: Food, atmosphere.
General: This is a fairly typical looking Pompey pub from the outside - half timbered corner plot. Inside it's a bit smaller than many corner pubs, knocked through and furnished in fairly standard pub style. It feels comfortable though and the staff have a real service ethic so that the passing stranger feels very welcome on the busiest days even though they obviously know the names and drinks of most other customers. It claims to be "The Pastie Pub of Portsmouth" but does a reasonable range of other pub grub too. The Pasties are home made and very good for outside Cornwall. On match days there are plenty of Pompey fans, but I think away fans would feel pretty welcome and safe in here. This is a local (used to be my local) pub but it definitely has an eye for the passing trade. Overall, recommended.